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French Montana
Karim Kharbouch (Arabic: كريم خربوش [kæɾiːm χɑɾbuːʃ]; born November 9, 1984), known professionally as French Montana, is a Moroccan and American rapper. Born and raised in Morocco, he immigrated to New York City with his family at the age of 13 and began his career as a battle rapper in the early 2000s — under the name Young French. He first gained recognition hosting the New York City-tailored DVD series Cocaine City during the 2000s, which centered around interviews of hip hop figures. He embarked on a recording career while doing so, and released several underground projects until signing with Puff Daddy's Bad Boy Records and Rick Ross's Maybach Music Group, in a triple-joint venture with Interscope Records in 2012.
Kharbouch's debut studio album, Excuse My French (2013), peaked at number four on the Billboard 200 despite critical failure; its lead single, "Pop That" (featuring Rick Ross, Drake, and Lil Wayne), peaked within the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100. His 2017 single, "Unforgettable" (featuring Swae Lee), peaked within the chart's top ten, and received diamond certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It preceded his second studio album Jungle Rules (2017), which was met with similar commercial success—peaking at number three on the Billboard 200—and a critical incline. His third and fourth studio albums, Montana (2019) and They Got Amnesia (2021), were both met with lukewarm critical and commercial reception; the latter served as his final release on a major label.
Kharbouch founded the record label Coke Boys Records (previously known as Cocaine City Records) in 2008, which has signed Chicago rapper Lil Durk, as well as fellow New York artists including Velous, Chinx, and record producer Harry Fraud. He is the most streamed African-born musical artist, and is the first African-born artist to have a diamond-certified song by the RIAA. Outside of music, Kharbouch has been prolific in charitable and philanthropic endeavors.
Karim Kharbouch was born on November 9, 1984, in Casablanca, Morocco. He grew up at the family estate outside Casablanca where he lived for the first 13 years of his life. Kharbouch has claimed that he has Moroccan, Ethiopian, and Somali ancestry. Growing up, he was consumed with soccer and rap, describing them as his two favorite childhood hobbies, before getting into basketball in his later teens.
In the mid-1990s, Kharbouch left Morocco with his parents and younger brother for New York City, where they settled in the South Bronx. Kharbouch spoke only his native languages of Moroccan Darija Arabic and French when he first arrived, and learned English in the streets and in the Bronx high schools of Roosevelt and Lehman. After struggling for two years, his father decided they would move back to Casablanca, but his mother opted to stay back with their children citing lack of opportunities back home. His mother was pregnant with his youngest brother at the time, who was born in the United States shortly after his father departed for Morocco. With three children, his mother was dependent on welfare for financial support. Kharbouch eventually found himself the primary breadwinner for the family.
Kharbouch began his career as a battle rapper in his teens under the name Young French. In 2002, Kharbouch and close friend Cams created a series of street DVDs called Cocaine City, drawing inspiration from the Smack DVD series popular at the time. The series featured interviews with major and upcoming rappers, personalities, and a focus on street music and hip hop beefs. Initially as Young French, he used the DVDs as a means of showcasing his talent as an underground artist, including in it his original music, freestyles, and collaborations with other artists. The first volume in the series featured Pee Wee Kirkland and Remy Ma, among others. What started out as a medium for developing an audience, quickly grew into one of the top-selling street DVDs. The series ran for eight years between 2002 and 2010, totaling 14 volumes, and multiple spinoff films. Based out of the Bronx, Kharbouch ran the series with the help of childhood friends including Brock, Droop Pop and Cheeze, who went on to become the first rappers that formed the Coke Boys.
In 2003, Kharbouch suffered a gunshot to the head when he was confronted by two gunmen as he was leaving a recording studio in the Bronx. The incident resulted in one of the gunmen dead, in what is believed to be a case of "friendly fire" by one assailant against the other. French was then hospitalized for several weeks. Upon discharge, he discovered that he was set up by someone close to him and his circle.
In 2007, French Montana released his debut mixtape French Revolution Vol. 1, which included collaborations with Uncle Murda, Jae Millz, Mazaradi Fox and Tony Yayo. The track "Quarter to Eight" was the first of many collaborations with Rick Ross. The J. Cardim-produced "Straight Cash" was French's first underground hit. In 2008, he released his second mixtape, Live From Africa. The song "Waavvy" was the first collaboration with rapper Max B.
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French Montana
Karim Kharbouch (Arabic: كريم خربوش [kæɾiːm χɑɾbuːʃ]; born November 9, 1984), known professionally as French Montana, is a Moroccan and American rapper. Born and raised in Morocco, he immigrated to New York City with his family at the age of 13 and began his career as a battle rapper in the early 2000s — under the name Young French. He first gained recognition hosting the New York City-tailored DVD series Cocaine City during the 2000s, which centered around interviews of hip hop figures. He embarked on a recording career while doing so, and released several underground projects until signing with Puff Daddy's Bad Boy Records and Rick Ross's Maybach Music Group, in a triple-joint venture with Interscope Records in 2012.
Kharbouch's debut studio album, Excuse My French (2013), peaked at number four on the Billboard 200 despite critical failure; its lead single, "Pop That" (featuring Rick Ross, Drake, and Lil Wayne), peaked within the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100. His 2017 single, "Unforgettable" (featuring Swae Lee), peaked within the chart's top ten, and received diamond certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It preceded his second studio album Jungle Rules (2017), which was met with similar commercial success—peaking at number three on the Billboard 200—and a critical incline. His third and fourth studio albums, Montana (2019) and They Got Amnesia (2021), were both met with lukewarm critical and commercial reception; the latter served as his final release on a major label.
Kharbouch founded the record label Coke Boys Records (previously known as Cocaine City Records) in 2008, which has signed Chicago rapper Lil Durk, as well as fellow New York artists including Velous, Chinx, and record producer Harry Fraud. He is the most streamed African-born musical artist, and is the first African-born artist to have a diamond-certified song by the RIAA. Outside of music, Kharbouch has been prolific in charitable and philanthropic endeavors.
Karim Kharbouch was born on November 9, 1984, in Casablanca, Morocco. He grew up at the family estate outside Casablanca where he lived for the first 13 years of his life. Kharbouch has claimed that he has Moroccan, Ethiopian, and Somali ancestry. Growing up, he was consumed with soccer and rap, describing them as his two favorite childhood hobbies, before getting into basketball in his later teens.
In the mid-1990s, Kharbouch left Morocco with his parents and younger brother for New York City, where they settled in the South Bronx. Kharbouch spoke only his native languages of Moroccan Darija Arabic and French when he first arrived, and learned English in the streets and in the Bronx high schools of Roosevelt and Lehman. After struggling for two years, his father decided they would move back to Casablanca, but his mother opted to stay back with their children citing lack of opportunities back home. His mother was pregnant with his youngest brother at the time, who was born in the United States shortly after his father departed for Morocco. With three children, his mother was dependent on welfare for financial support. Kharbouch eventually found himself the primary breadwinner for the family.
Kharbouch began his career as a battle rapper in his teens under the name Young French. In 2002, Kharbouch and close friend Cams created a series of street DVDs called Cocaine City, drawing inspiration from the Smack DVD series popular at the time. The series featured interviews with major and upcoming rappers, personalities, and a focus on street music and hip hop beefs. Initially as Young French, he used the DVDs as a means of showcasing his talent as an underground artist, including in it his original music, freestyles, and collaborations with other artists. The first volume in the series featured Pee Wee Kirkland and Remy Ma, among others. What started out as a medium for developing an audience, quickly grew into one of the top-selling street DVDs. The series ran for eight years between 2002 and 2010, totaling 14 volumes, and multiple spinoff films. Based out of the Bronx, Kharbouch ran the series with the help of childhood friends including Brock, Droop Pop and Cheeze, who went on to become the first rappers that formed the Coke Boys.
In 2003, Kharbouch suffered a gunshot to the head when he was confronted by two gunmen as he was leaving a recording studio in the Bronx. The incident resulted in one of the gunmen dead, in what is believed to be a case of "friendly fire" by one assailant against the other. French was then hospitalized for several weeks. Upon discharge, he discovered that he was set up by someone close to him and his circle.
In 2007, French Montana released his debut mixtape French Revolution Vol. 1, which included collaborations with Uncle Murda, Jae Millz, Mazaradi Fox and Tony Yayo. The track "Quarter to Eight" was the first of many collaborations with Rick Ross. The J. Cardim-produced "Straight Cash" was French's first underground hit. In 2008, he released his second mixtape, Live From Africa. The song "Waavvy" was the first collaboration with rapper Max B.
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